Tampopo Blu-ray

'Tampopo' Director: Juzo Itami (1985) Criterion Collection Blu-ray | 4K restoration | Japanese w/ English subtitles

A group of eccentrics help the widow of a noodle shop owner to revitalise her tired restaurant as they go in pursuit of the perfect ramen recipe. A number of vignettes are interspersed throughout the story which explore the relationship between appetites, love and food.

Special features include:
- The Making of “Tampopo,” a ninety-minute documentary from 1986, narrated by director Juzo Itami
- Interview with actor Nobuko Miyamoto
- Interview with food stylist Seiko Ogawa
- Interviews with ramen scholar Hiroshi Oosaki and chefs Sam White, Rayneil De Guzman, Jerry Jaksich, and Ivan Orkin
- Rubber Band Pistol, Itami’s 1962 debut short film
- Video essay by filmmakers Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos on the film’s themes of self-improvement and mastery of a craft
- Essay by food and culture writer Willy Blackmore